New Washington laws aim to prevent youth opioid overdoses

New laws in Washington aim to combat rising fentanyl overdoses in Washington state, especially among young people.

Why it matters: The rate of opioid-related deaths among 14- to 18-year-olds almost tripled in Washington from 2016 to 2022, according to the state Department of Health .

The big picture: Public health officials say increased presence of the synthetic opioid fentanyl is driving a spike in overdose deaths across age groups.

• King County alone recorded more than 1,000 overdose deaths involving fentanyl in 2023, compared to 111 in 2019.

Driving the news: Measures that Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law this week will increase public education about fentanyl and other opioids and require more schools to stock overdose-reversal medications such as naloxone.

• Right now, only high schools in districts with at least 2,000 students must stock the overdose-reversing drug, commonly called Narcan.
• Under Senate Bill 5804 , elementary and middle schools must also have doses on hand, as must all high schools.

Zoom in: A second new law requires the state Department of Health to launch a statewide opioid education campaign, with a focus on how other drugs can be contaminated with small but potentially fatal amounts of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

• That measure is named after 16-year-old Lucas Petty, who died after smoking a joint laced with fentanyl, his mother told lawmakers during public committee hearings this year.
• House Bill 1956 will also incorporate fentanyl education into the public school curriculum.

What they're saying: "It's not just experimenting — our children are playing Russian roulette with their lives," Maria Trujillo-Petty testified before a panel of lawmakers last month.

• "My hope is that this bill will provide families and youth with the education so no other parent has to live like this."

A third new law , House Bill 2112 , will require colleges and universities to stock naloxone and fentanyl test strips and educate students and residence hall staff about opioids and fentanyl.

Zoom out: While signing the bills into law this week, Inslee said money for treatment is another important piece of the state's fight against opioids.

• Earlier this month, Washington lawmakers approved nearly $80 million in new spending on substance use disorder programs through mid-2025.
• They also created a specialized account that will use opioid settlement money to boost treatment and prevention among tribal communities, which have higher rates of overdose deaths.

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